Perspectives

Scotiabank Perspectives

Each episode we help break down the important economic issues on Canadians’ minds. With our unique access to leading experts, timely insights and helpful explainers, we navigate the latest in the world of finance, housing, business, the markets — and more. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures

  1. 1d ago

    Oil producer, global prices: Why Canada is not isolated from energy shocks

    Oil prices have been moving again, and Canadians are feeling it at the pump. But while changes in gas prices are easy to spot, the forces behind them can be much harder to untangle.  In this episode, Jennifer Stevenson, Vice President and Portfolio Manager with Scotia Global Asset Management, explains what is driving oil and gas prices right now, why events far beyond Canada's borders can still shape what Canadians pay, and how refining, shipping routes, global demand, and geopolitical risk all feed into the price of fuel.  She also breaks down:  Why the Strait of Hormuz matters so much to global energy markets  Why Canada is not facing shortages, but is still exposed to global price swings  How refining capacity, transportation and financial markets affect prices at the pump  What could keep volatility elevated even if the immediate disruption eases  For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures  Key moments this episode:  1:30 - Jennifer Stevenson’s background in oil and gas 2:04 - What’s happening with oil prices right now 2:44 - Why the Strait of Hormuz is so important to global energy markets 4:04 - Whether there are alternate routes for oil and gas supplies 5:03 - How a global energy disruption can affect prices at the pump 6:04 - Why Canada is not fully insulated from global oil prices 6:24 - Why producing oil does not automatically mean cheaper gasoline 7:38 - How higher oil prices can affect Canada as an energy exporter 8:47 - How quickly global events can show up in gas prices 9:54 - Why gas station margins are thinner than many people think 10:43 - How today’s gas prices compare historically 11:50 - Why demand for gasoline does not fall much when prices rise 13:22 - What could happen if the Strait of Hormuz disruption continues 14:48 - What reopening the Strait could mean for oil and gas prices 16:55 - Whether extremely high oil prices are possible 17:58 - How consumers and businesses can plan for price volatility 20:08 - What can be done to reduce vulnerability to oil price swings 21:20 - Main takeaways for Canadians from the current energy situation

    23 min
  2. May 15

    Food inflation 101 – The rising cost of putting food on the table

    Food inflation is becoming harder to ignore, and it may still have further to run.  As geopolitical tensions push up energy prices, those pressures are beginning to move through the broader economy. If it persists, it could impact what Canadians pay for food.  Scotiabank’s Rebekah Young joins the podcast to break down why food inflation remains persistent, how global shocks are moving through supply chains, and why there are few quick solutions in the near term.  She also explains what this means for households, and why central banks may face more difficult decisions if these pressures continue.  Key moments this episode:  2:01 – What has caused food inflation since the pandemic 3:23 – Digging deeper into the economic factors behind food inflation 4:52 – How the current causes of food inflation differ compared to during the pandemic 8:10 – Which inputs are affected by the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz 9:30 -  Understanding fertilizer types and how it affects farmers in Canada 10:43 – How the war in Iran is affecting consumers 13:50 – How the upcoming grocery benefit aims to help some Canadians deal with food inflation 16:38 - How rising commodity prices could benefit Canada as a global producer of oil, fertilizer and more 19:27 – How the Bank of Canada is reacting to food inflation 22:24 – What Canada can do to stabilize food prices and mitigate risk for the future

    26 min
  3. Apr 21

    Gold 101: Why gold prices rise and what it really signals

    In this episode, we break down how gold functions in today’s financial system, from the different ways people invest in it to why it often gains attention during periods of inflation, volatility and uncertainty, with guest Robert Cohen, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Scotia Global Asset Management. He is co-Portfolio Manager of Scotia Resource Fund as well as Portfolio Manager for Scotia Global Asset Management’s Dynamic-branded funds – Dynamic Precious Metals Fund and Dynamic Active Global Gold ETF, to name a few. Robertjoins the podcast to explain what’s behind gold’s recent rise, why central banks around the world continue to increase their gold holdings, and how gold differs from other market assets. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures   Views expressed regarding a particular company, security, industry or market sector are the views of the writer and should not be considered an indication of trading intent of any investment funds managed by 1832 Asset Management LP. These views should not be considered investment advice, nor should they be considered a recommendation to buy or sell. These views are subject to change at any time based upon markets and other conditions, and we disclaim any responsibility to update such views. Key moments this episode:   2:07 - Robert’s background and how he got into gold and mining  3:06 - What’s driving gold’s big rise right now?  5:35 – What is a fiat currency?  5:54 - Have we seen this kind of gold growth before?  7:24 - Why Canada has no gold reserves today  8:04 - Why other countries are still buying gold  9:45 - What makes gold a safe asset  10:46 - Why Canada matters in the global gold story  12:19 - How much gold Canada may still have left  13:54 - What the future of mining looks like in Canada  15:18 - What role gold plays in a diversified portfolio  16:33 - Where Robert thinks gold is headed next  17:56 - The biggest misconception people have about gold  19:08 - The main takeaway for Canadians watching gold right now

    20 min
  4. Apr 1

    What is economic productivity?

    For many, the word “productivity” evokes thoughts of completing a to-do list or running errands. But in economics, productivity refers to how efficiently a good or service is produced with inputs like labour or energy.  And Canada’s economic productivity has been stalling and it’s impacting our economy.  In this episode, Scotiabank’s Director of Forecasting Patrick Perrier joins us to break down Canada’s productivity problem, explain how it affects Canadians directly and much more.  For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures  Key moments this episode: 1:42 – What economists mean when talking about productivity3:02 – Why productivity should matter to Canadians6:30 – Canada’s productivity performance in recent years8:35 – What caused Canada’s poor productivity11:26 – Why productivity measures are volatile and hard to track12:48 – Is productivity about replacing workers or making them work harder?13:31 – How transformations like the Industrial Revolution and AI affect employment14:52 – Why is productivity especially important for Canada’s success today15:32 – How can countries like Canada improve productivity?17:29 – Is Canada on the right track with productivity?18:37 – Other countries that managed productivity well19:36 – Where to find productivity numbers reported20:04 – Patrick’s main takeaways on productivity

    22 min
  5. Feb 26

    Fraud isn’t going away – here’s how you can protect yourself

    You’ve probably received a phone call that looked like it was coming from a reputable institution, but when you pick up you quickly realize something sounds off. Financial scams are becoming more sophisticated, and scammers are even selling their methods online to other fraudsters. These phone calls, phishing emails or questionable text messages target Canadians at every age.   In this episode, we’re joined by Aaron McAllister, Vice President of Fraud Threat Management at Scotiabank and Chris Lynam, the Director General of the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They explain what the latest scam trends look like and the various ways Canadians can protect themselves. You can report cybercrime and fraud online at https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca/. For more information on the latest scams, visit Scotiabank.com/security. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures Key moments this episode: 1:48 – An intro to Chris' work combatting fraud with the RCMP2:45 – The scale of fraud in Canada according to recent data4:02 – Why fraud seems to have grown so much4:42 – Chris describes the prominent scams targeting Canadians in 20259:08 – Common scams Aaron has seen from his role at Scotiabank10:25 – How scams target people of all ages11:15 – The newest methods fraudsters are using, such as AI and deepfake videos14:14 – Law enforcement's main challenges addressing fraud16:28 – What Scotiabank and other financial institutions can do to combat fraud17:27 – How the Maple Disruption operation brought together organizations to fight fraud18:56 – The importance of education and Scotiabank's partnerships with other organizations20:24 – What Canada can learn from other jurisdictions21:36 – How a multipronged approach took down LabHost25:08 – The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's revamped online report portal27:49 – Aaron's tips for preventing scams29:30 – How to reach seniors with fraud awareness content30:04 – Chris' tips for preventing scams33:21 – Why early disruption is key and more tips from Aaron34:39 – How a 'safe word' can protect families35:19 – Where you can find Scotiabank's latest resources on fraud35:40 – Summarizing tips and the importance of talking about fraud

    38 min

About

Each episode we help break down the important economic issues on Canadians’ minds. With our unique access to leading experts, timely insights and helpful explainers, we navigate the latest in the world of finance, housing, business, the markets — and more. For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures

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